More opposition against advance electricity bills

Ludhiana: Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal (PPBM) has opened a front against the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and the state government over the issue of industrialists being asked to pay advance bills for 45-day consumption. Condemning the PSPCL orders, the office bearers of PPBM have now decided to take this matter up with the chief minister to seek a resolution.
Sunil Mehra, state general secretary of PPBM, said, “Inspite of knowing that the industry is passing through a bad phase where record losses have been incurred by the businessmen due to Covid-19 and lockdowns, the state government and PSPCL have played a cruel joke on us by asking us to pay 45-day advance bills. Its shocking that despite protest lodged by the businessmen against this order, neither PSPCL nor the state government took corrective measures and rolled this decision back. In a last attempt to try and resolve this issue, we have decided to approach chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann directly and urge him to take back this decision. In case result does not come in our favour, we will take the path of protest and soon there will be agitations outside the offices of PSPCL”
According to Pawan Lehar, district chairman of PPBM, “There is huge resentment amongst businessmen over this decision of PSPCL to charge 45-day advance bill as it will put huge financial burden on the businessmen, specially those from the small scale sector. Ever since the advance bills were sent to the industrialists, protests have taken place everywhere and even on Tuesday there was a huge protest at Shawl Market. In view of the situation we are, therefore, going to approach CM and urge for his intervention this matter and we hope that these charges will be taken back”